Apparatus for use in assembling and intertwining discrete fibers



July

P. M. STRANG El-AL APPARATUS FOR USE IN ASSEMBLING AND INTERTWINING DISCRETE FIBERS Filed May 27. 1955 m 2 ff ie-- 4 4 J! /17 4 a Jaye/liar; fele) M Jzra a Jam 6- Gal/7Z5 MAM A? 6 "initiate the operation.

sp nning head;

APPARATUS FOR USE IN AssEMsLmG AND INTERTWINING DISCRETE FIBERS Peter M. 'Strang, Needham, and James G. Gamble, Northbridge, Mass., assignors to Lawrence M. Keeler, Whitinsville, Mass. 7 I

Filed May 27, 1955, Ser. No. 511,528

14 Claims. (Cl. 57548.91

This invention relates to textile manufacture and more especially to a novel method of and apparatus for use in assembling and intertwining discrete fibers, for example, fibers of textile length, thereby to produce roving or spun yarn.

In the patent toStrang, =2,700,866, dated February 1,

1955, there is disclosed a method of concatenating fibers for the formation of spun yarn wherein a stream of liquid having the fibers suspended therein is caused to, flow through a smooth walled conduit, a portion of which is rotatedabout its own axis, the rotation ofsaid'portionof the conduit frictionally entrairiing the flowing liquid so' that the latter rotates about the axis of the conduit. The

rotation of the flowing liquid impartst'wist to the fibers suspended in the stream'and the twisted fibers are drawn off as a continuous strand and-separated from the liquid.

Patented July 12, 1960 level with a suitable liquid, usually water, by means of a supply pipe 11 connected to a' pipe P (with an interposed valve 11), the pipe P is being connected, for example, to a city water main providing water under a substantially constant and customary pressure head. The tank 10 is desirably provided with an overflow pipe 12. Within this tank there is arranged a fiber suspending chamber 13 open at'its top and which receives water from the tank 10 and into which the fibers which are 'to..be spun are delivered. The use of the inner chamber .13 is desirable, since it insures a quiescent body of liquid, undisturbed by the inflow of pressure fluid through the pipe 11. As here illustrated, the fibers are received in sliver form from a receptacle 16, here shown 'as a conventional *coiler can, such as is used for receiving the sliver from a carding machine, although it is to be understood that this is merely by wayof example, and that any appropriate supply of fibrous material may be employed. Sliver S from this container 16 is here illustrated'a's being drawn upwardly over the guide roll 17, land is then delivered by a feed roll 18 and trough 19 to a licker-in roll 20, by a means of which thesliver is disintegrated so'as todeliver Whilethis .mode of delivering the fiber into the suspending liquid is desirable, it isto :be considered as illustrative :of any other appropriate means for accomplishing the desired result.- For instance,a set of customarydraft- While the method'disclosed' in said patent'is usefulin 7 "the' pr oductio'n of spun yarn, it :is somewhatpdifiicult to thread up' the apparatus 'in starting, thatiis to say, to Moreover, the driving, at high speed, of a rotating tube of gsuificient length to impart the requisiterotational velocity to the flowingliquid involves difliculties,vwhich, though notins'urmountable, it

is desirable to avoid.

The present invention has for objects the'provision of an improved and novel method of and apparatusfor use in the concatenation of fibers for the formation of roving or spun yarn, wherein the fibers are suspended in a stream of liquidfiowing'throughia stationary rather than a rotating conduit, but wherein nevertheless, a 'por-' -tion of the stream is rotated, for spinning the fibrous material, at an angular velocity which maybe as great as or grea'ter than the highest spindle-velocity employed in V of high pressure fluid, for example, a'liquid such as water. w '-A furtherobject is to provide novel apparatus for use in "the assembly and the intertwisting of fibrous material while suspended in liquid; Other and further objects and advantages of the inventionfwill be pointed out in the following more detailed. description and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 1

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation, partly in vertical section, illustrating one desirable form of apparatus for use in'the practice of the method;

Fig. 2 is a vertical diametrical section to larger scale than Fig. 1, showingvthet interior construction of the Fig. 3 is a horizontal section to smaller scale on.the line 33 of Fig. 2; l e

Fig. 4is a side elevation'of the cylindrical conduit member of the spinning head, and

Fig. 5 is 'a side'elevation of the entrance member of the spinning head; Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 'indicates ja tank or container which is kept filled to a predetermined by the numeral 21.

ing rolls'may be used-instead of the parts 18, 19 and 20.

The lower part of this receptacle 13 converges downlwardly in diameter and merges with the upper end of a pipe 15, whichi ext'ends to a location appr'op'riate'for the installation of the vspinning head, which is here designated Immediately below 'this spinning head 21 there is arranged an annular bafile 21 having a central opening into which the terminal portion 15 of the pipe 15*projects,,the terminal portion-15 as shown in Fig. 1, being substantially vertical and. axially aligned The spinning head 21, as moreclearly shown in Figs.

2,3,"4 and 5, comprises a cylindrical conduit 22 (Fig. 4)

which defines the spinning, chamber B and'which may be of any suitable material, for'example, metal or preferably arhard and rigid plastic. The part 22, by way of example but without limitation, maybe of the order of 1 in length and ,have an internaldiameter of and a wall thickness 'of V 3". The spinning head 21 also comprises the entrance member 23 (Fig. 5), which may be of the same material as the conduit 22, or of other material if preferred, the parts 22 and 26 being disposed in axial alignment. The entrance member 23, and the conduit 22 are housed within anexternal casing 24 (here shown as cylindrical), and of an external diameter of 4; for example, the internal diameter of this outer casing being such, as referred to the external dimensions of the conduit 22 and entrance member 23, as to provide an annular'plenum'chamber C (Fig. 2).

, The conduit 22 is provided, as here shown, with two axially spaced groups of jetorifices 25 and 2 6 respectively, extendingthrough the thickness of 'its circumferential wall. As here illustrated, and has been found desirable, although without limitation, the upper group 25 of orifices may .be, spaced from the upper end of the .-conduit a distance of /5", and the lower group of jet orifices 26'may be spaced below the upper group a dis- Each group of orifices (as illustrated forapart, and with their axes passing through the thickness of the wall of the conduit at such an angle that a stream of fluid, for example water, issuing through an ,orifice into the interior of the conduit 22 will'be substan-tially tangent to the inner surface of theconduit wall,

The upper end of the conduit 22 has a closure member 27, fixed leak-tight to the conduit wall, and provided with a central delivery orifice 28 of a diameter appropriate to permit the passage of the yarn which is being made.

The entrance member 23 comprises a short cylindrical sleeveportion 28 of an external diameter to fit snugly within the lower end of the conduit 22, the external diameter of the entrance member 23 increasing suddenly at the lower end of the sleeve portion, to provide a radial shoulder 29 on which the lower edge of the conduit 22 rests. Desirably, although not necessarily, the height of the sleeve portion above the shoulder 29 is of the order of the shoulder being of a radial width equal to the thickness of the conduit wall, so that the outer surface of the entrance member below the shoulder 29 is flush with the outer wall of the conduit at the point where they meet. The entrance member 23 also comprises the lower or hell portion 30, whose outer surface 31 is curved and flares outwardly and downwardly, while the inner surface 32 likewise flares outwardly and downwardly, thus defining an entrance passage E (Fig. 2)

which converges upwardly from the lower end of the spinning head 21 toward the lower end of the conduit 22.

The upper or smaller end of the passage E is desirably of approximately the same diameter as the interior of the conduit 22 but above the passage E, the wall of the bell member 30 has a thickened portion which defines a cylindrical throat passage T, for example, of the order of A" ing with a beveled or conically inclined surface of the conduit 22. As shown in Fig. 2, the lower or larger end of the bell member 30 fits snugly at 36 against the lower end portion of the outer casing 24, these parts being connected leak-tight, for example by welding if of metal Spaced above the delivery aperture 28 in the closure 'member 27 is an arrangement for drawing oil the spun strand, this drawing-0E means here being shown,

merely by way of example, as comprising a paircf :driven'rolls 39 and 40 which pull the spun material up out of the chamber B in the conduit 22 in which These rolls 39 and 40 are. driven by any suitable means (not here illustrated) but the spinning takes place.

desirably with provision forchanging their speed so that t the rate at which the spun yarn Y is drawn ofi (thus providing one way in which the number of twists per inch), 'may be varied as desired. After passing through the rolls 39 and40 the'yarn is suitably guided to means for winding it up, which for example, may comprise a rotary "core carried by a spindle 41 which may move up and down in suitable guides 42, the rotation of the yarn mass 1 on the core being accomplished by means of a constantly driven friction drum 43 on which the yarn mass rests.

In the operation of the apparatus, the liquid in the tank 10 is kept at a constant level such as to produce a head sufficient to'insure a velocity of flow in the pipe 15 of the order for example, of two or more feet per second.

The jet nozzles are of such dimensions and provided with water'under a pressure such that preferably the amount of water delivered by the jet nozzles is approximately onehalf that which is delivered into the entrance passage E -by the pipe 15. As here'illustrated, the water for the nozzle is supplied by a pipe 38 conected to the pipe P with an intervening valve 38*, the valve being of con- -ventional type and providing means whereby the nozzle pressure may be regulated. As the fiber-bearing liquid is projected upwardly from the end 15* of the pipe 115 into the entrance passage B, it moves up through the,

in diameter. At its upper part this passage flares in di- 5 ameter, the cylindrical inner wall 34 of the passage'mergunder a pressure such as is customary throat T into the spinning chamber B in the conduit 22,

and is set into very rapid rotation about the axis of the conduit by the action of the jets. The velocity of rotation depends upon several factors, including the supply pressure, the diameter of the orifices 25 and 26, the diameter of the chamber B and the velocity of the fiberbearing stream. Variation in' .the rotational velocity of the stream provides another way of varying the twist per inch. Velocities of rotation of the body of liquid in the chamber 3 of the orderof 30,000 r.p.m or more are readily obtained in this manner while employing water in a city supply main. I

In starting up-the operation, a suitable device is passed down through the aperture 28 into the spinning chamber B for receiving the forming end of the spun yarn resultant from the intertwining of the fibers within (what for a convenience may be termed) the spinning zone, and as the embryo yarn is formed within said zone and becomes attached to this device, the latter is moved upwardly, thus carrying the initially formed or embryo portion of the "yarn upwardly toward and through the aperture 28, this initial portion of the yarn then being introduced between the. rolls 39 and 40, which then are eiiective to continue the drawing-0E operation.

One implement suitable for this threading-up operation is an ordinary pipe cleaner,

which consists of lengths of wire twisted together and having tufts of fibrous material gripped between the twists, and which is quite flexible so that if desired, the

entire pipe cleaner may. be caused to pass through the rolls 39 and 40, pulling the advancing end of the yarn along with it. After the operation has started, the spun strand continues to be pulled ofi? by the rolls 39 and 40. Any suitable drying means (not shown) may be used for drying the yarn onits way to the winding spindle 41.

Centrifugal force causes the water to hug the inner surfaces of the chamber B. The water introduced into the chamber B by the pipe 15 and also by the jet no'zzles escapes downwardly along the walls of the chamber E,

forming as it were an annular rotating curtain surrounding the incoming stream of fiber-bearing liquid. This downward motion of the waste water is believed to be the "result of the downward flare of the entrance passage E and centrifugal force acting on the flowing "fluid. Little or no Water escapes from delivery orifice 28. Obviously, the water from which the fiber has been separated may be returned to the tank 10 for recirculation.

By the use of this apparatus it is possible to spin yarns of any desired number, including coarse yarns, with the certainty that all of the fibers composing the yarn will be subjected to twist such that they all contribute to the strength of he spun material. It is also possible, as above noted, to obtain a very high speed of twist, even exceeding any speed which has thus far been found to be posthe rate of production'is greatly increased, while at the sible in the employment of mechanical spindles. Thus same time the difliculties and disadvantages inherentin mechanical spinning devices, particularly such problems; as are consequent upon the use of very high spindle speeds, are eliminated.

While one desirable embodiment of the invention has herein been disclosed and illustrated by way of example, itis to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all apparatus falling with the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for use in concatenating discrete fibrous elements to form a twisted strand comprisingmeans defining an elongate cylindrical chamber whoses axis is vertical, a top closure for said chamber havinga constantly open central yarn delivery port of a dlameter substantially =less than that of said chamber, means defining an upwardly tapering entrance passage, open at top and bottom, coaxial with said chamber, whose r lower end is of a diameter'exceeding that of said chamher, means defining a throat passage, of a diameter less than that of the chamber, coaxial with and which con- 7 nects the lower end of the chamber'with the upper end of the entrance passage, the peripheral wall of the chamber having jet orifices therein whose axes are tangential to the inner surface of the chamber, a supply conduit having a delivery end which is coaxial with said entrance passage and spaced from the lower end of the latter, means supplying liquid under pressure to the jet orifices, and means for supplying fiber-bearing liquid to the com duit under a substantially constant head such as to project a jet of liquid upwardly through the entrance and throat passages into said chamber.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 for use in concatenating discrete fibers to form a twisted strand further characterized in having means operative continuously to draw ofi twisted strand material from the yarn port at the upper end of said chamber, and an annular bafile spaced from the lower end of the chamber and coaxial therewith, and to which the upper end of the conduit is secured leak-tight, said bafile having a basin-like cavity in its upper surface substantially exceeding the conduit in'diameter.

3. Apparatus for use in spinning fibrous material by passage of smaller diameter than said conduit, the conduit having jet orifices in its circumferential wall, and means for delivering a fibre-bearing jet of liquid upwardly into said entrance passage.

10. Apparatus for use in spinning textile fibers hydraulically, said apparatus comprising a cylindrical conduit having at one end an annular closure provided with a central delivery aperture of a diameter less than the internal diameter of the conduit, an entrance member comprising a sleeve portion which fits within the opposite end of the conduit, said entrance member also including a bell portion which, in internal diameter, flares away from the sleeve portion to provide a smoothly convergent entrance passage whose smaller end is of approximately the same diameter as that of the interior of the conduit, the sleeve portion of the entrance member providing a cylindrical throat passage of a diameter smaller than that of the smaller end of the entrance passage and which provides communication between the entrance passage and the. conduit proper, and means for delivering tan- 7 gential jets of fluid into the conduit.

11. Apparatus for use in spinning textile fibers hydraul- I comprising a sleeve portion which fits within the opposite from which the jet orifices lead, means for supplying l fluid under pressure to said chamber, and means for delivering a jet of fiber-laden liquid axially into the converging entrance passage;

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the entrance passage converges to the entrance to a cylindrical throat passage, of a diameter less than the interior diameter of the conduit and which provides communication between the small end of the converging entrance passage and the conduit proper.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, having means defining a cylindrical throat passage of a diameter less than that of the interior of the conduit and less than that of the smaller end of the converging entrance passage, and which merges with a portion of increasing diameter.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3, comprising means providing a restriction between the small end of the converging entrance passage and the conduit proper, the jet orifices being located between'said restriction and the delivery end of the conduit.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of jet orifices are symmetrically spaced apart about the periphery of the conduit. 7

8. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein .a plurality of jet orifices are spaced apart longitudinally of the conduit.

9. Apparatus for use in spinning textile fibers hydraulically, said apparatus comprising a cylindrical conduit having at one end an annular closure provided with a constantly open central delivery aperture of a diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of the conduit, an entrance member comprising a sleeve portion which fits within the opposite end of the conduit, said entrance member also including a bell portion which, in internal diameter, flares away from the sleeve portion to provide a smooth, upwardly convergent, constantly open entrance passage whose smaller end merges with a throat abuts the end of the conduit, the sleeve portion of the entrance member having a thickened wall which defines a cylindrical throat passage, the conduit wall having orifices for delivering jets of fluid tangentially into the interior of the conduit.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9, comprising an outer casing which houses the conduit and entrance member and which provides a leak-tight annular chamber surrounding the conduit, and means for delivering pressure fluid into said chamber.

13. Apparatus according to claim 9, comprising mechanical means 'for drawing twisted strand material out through the delivery orifice at the end of the conduit.

14. Apparatus according to claim 9, comprising an annular baflle coaxial with and spaced from the'outer end of the entrance member, the bafile being of a diameter exceeding the maximum diameter of said bell portion, and means for delivering a jet of fiber-bearing liquid through the center of the baffle into the larger end of the converging entrance passage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 778,604 Phillips Dec. 27, 1904 984,195 Cooper Feb. 14, 191 1 1,949,604 Dreyfus et al. Mar. 6, 1934 2,173,789 Nikles et al Sept. 19, 1939 2,302,790 Modigliani Nov. 24, 1942. 2,451,504 Mayo Oct. 19, 1948 2,515,299 Foster et al. July 18, 1950 2,700,866 Strang Feb. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 326,452 Germany Sept. 27, 1920 1,073,703 France Mar. 24, 1954 

